A NORTH Wales boy with a rare brain malfunction has been given fresh hope after undergoing revolutionary treatment at a top European clinic.

Before his trip to Hungary little Ben Hurdes struggled to walk, talk or eat.

But after spending two weeks in a specialist Budapest clinic, the three-year-old from Llanfaelog, Anglesey, can eat lumpy food and pull funny faces.

The plucky youngster also learned to lift his left leg - which he could previously only drag behind him - above his right.

Ben travelled to Budapest with his gran Joan Hands and her husband Bob.

" What has been achieved is absolutely amazing, a miracle really," said Joan. "But as far as we are concerned this is only the start.

"It is ongoing and we will be taking him back to Budapest on November 15. What happened over the last two weeks has given us fresh hope."

Ben suffers from a rare brain defect, Dandy Walker Variant syndrome, which can affect one in 80,000 children from birth.

Backed by a fundraising effort, the little boy was originally booked into the world famous Peto clinic for intensive physiotherapy.

"When Ben was first examined by specialists at Peto they found his brain was too clever for what they had in mind and referred us to another clinic," added Joan.

"They took charge from the start and he had to undergo four hours of treatment every day. They worked on his wrists, ankles and various other joints.

"Sometimes he was in a lot of pain but battled through it. We had bought him an inflation suit because we knew some of the treatment would be in water. They wouldn't allow him to wear it and put him in a small ring.

"At first his head went under and I was a bit shocked but it never happened again. He developed into quite a water baby."

The family first learned of the revolutionary treatment available in Hungary when they took Ben on holiday to Turkey and struck up a conversation with another British family.

A fighting fund, backed by the Happy Faces charity, was set up.

"We are determined to do everything we can to get the best possible help for Ben and are prepared to take him to Budapest as long as they can help him" said Joan. "We are so thrilled by what has been achieved so far.

"Before he could just about sit up and move about on his back. Now he can stretch out both legs. Our hope is he can

maintain the incredible progress and we know it is going to need regular trips to the clinic."

HOW YOU CAN HELP...

An appeal website, www.benhurdes fundraising.co.uk, has been set up on Ben's behalf by supporters Ben with gran Joan Hands